Tuesday, May 11, 2010

There, But For The Grace Of God, Go I

Samburu, Turkana and Marsabit residents oppose the operation and accuse the government of failing to protect them in the past after they surrendered guns.

"We'd rather commit suicide. To hand over our guns is like stripping naked. Our people were killed, our animals taken away; many families are poor now... We'll never repeat the mistake we made two years ago," said an elder from the village of Lerata.

But the police say things are different this time. "This operation is different. We have used a different approach; it will succeed [as it is] well planned and involves the largest number of security forces," said Assistant Police Commissioner Marcus Ochola.

"The government is not using force, nobody will be harassed. We have gathered adequate intelligence reports. Security measures to protect all communities are also being implemented," he said.

He added that the operation involved paramilitary and regular police; rapid response units and aerial surveillance.

"Those who have gone into hiding will be tracked," warned Internal Security Ministry Permanent Secretary Francis Kimemia in the town of Isiolo, where five people have been detained for resisting security forces.

The Grace of God, and the Grace of Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, James Madison, Patrick Henry....

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And You Can Quote Me!

"If you've got to resist, your chances of being hurt are less the more lethal your weapon. If that were my wife, would I want her to have a .38 Special in her hand? Yeah." - Dr. Arthur Kellermann, Health Magazine (March/April 1994) p 61